Last month, opened a 100,000-square-foot urban greenhouse in Chicago capable of growing and supplying 11 million heads of lettuce annually.
Located along the Woonasquatucket River in Providence, the new 100,000-square-foot greenhouse will be able to produce more than six million heads of lettuce, allowing Gotham Greens to deliver a year-round supply of fresh, local produce to retail, restaurant, and foodservice customers across the New England region. The company will also donate more than 5,000 pounds of fresh produce to local food banks throughout Rhode Island.
Commenting on the opening of the facility, governor of Rhode Island, Gina M. Raimondo, said, "It's critical that Rhode Islanders have access to fresh, locally-grown food all year round, especially during the cold winter months."
Gotham Greens leafy greens, herbs, salad dressings and pesto dips are available at a variety of national and local grocery retailers across New England, including Whole Foods Market, Dave's Marketplace, Shaw's, and Star Market.
"We're on a mission to transform how and where fresh produce is grown," said Viraj Puri, cofounder and CEO of Gotham Greens.
By the end of 2019, Gotham Greens will operate 500,000 square feet of urban indoor farms across five US states with more than 300 employees. The company currently operates seven greenhouses in New York City, Chicago and Providence and will open new locations in Baltimore and Denver.
Providence, a growing food hub
The new Gotham Greens facility will create 60 full-time jobs in Providence.
"Providence is gaining a reputation as a regional food production and distribution hub through strategic investments in light food manufacturing, distribution, startups, food tech and urban production, particularly in the Woonasquatucket River Corridor," said Mayor Elorza.
"Since announcing our expansion into New England, we continue to feel inspired by the city, state and region's legacy of manufacturing and local food culture. We have received tremendous support from elected officials, retailers, restaurants and our community, who love that we can provide a reliable, year-round supply of fresh and safe produce," added Puri.
